Recipe - Coq Au Cidre (Cider Chicken)

1 ounce Slab bacon; cut in 1/2' dice
1 tablespoon Peanut oil
3 One half pound Chicken; skin & fat removed,
cut in 8 pieces
Salt and freshly ground
black pepper; to taste
4 lg Onions; thinly cut or sliced up
1 Clove garlic; finely chopped
2 Three fourths cup Sparkling dry apple cider;
(1 lb. 5 oz.)
1/3 cup Calvados or brandy; (1 lb. 5
oz.)
8 Prunes; pitted
1 Bouquet garni***

BOUQUET GARNI
6 Sprigs parsley
4 Sprigs fresh thyme; OR
One half teaspoon Dried thyme leaves
2 Bay leaves

To make Bouquet Garni: Tie together with kitchen string or put in a
cheesecloth bag.

Preheat oven to 325øF. In a deep ovenproof skillet with a lid, brown bacon
over mediumhigh heat, about 3 minutes, and transfer to paper towels to
drain. Pour off any fat in the pan. Add One half tablespoon of the peanut oil to
the pan and brown chicken over high heat, about 3 minutes per side.
Transfer the chicken to a plate, season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Add the remaining One half tablespoon oil to the pan, reduce heat to low and add
onions. Cook, stirring ocasionally, until the onions are very tender and
golden, about 25 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook for 1 minute. Pour in
cider and calvados or brandy and bring to a boil. Add prunes, bouquet
garni and the reserved bacon and chicken. Cover and bake until the chicken
is very tender and no longer pink inside, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove the
bouquet garni. Taste and adjust seasonings before serving.

NOTES : Brittany, like Normancy to the north, produces a great deal of ci=
der for local consumption. It was an old Breton tradition to serve COQ A=
U CIDRE to friends and workers after framing a new home.
Recipe by: Eating Well (Oct. 1994) page 65

Posted to recipeludigest by Nesb2@aol.com on Feb 6, 1998